Veteran boxing trainer and match-maker, Abdul Rashid Williams, is happy that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo overlooked former Sports Minister, Mr Isaac Asiamah and appointed a new Sports Minister-designate in the person of Mr Mustapha Yussif.

He contended that the former minister showed no interest in supporting or developing boxing and also failed to appreciate the problems of boxing.

“When he was the minister, the United Boxing Coaches Association (UBCA) wrote to him for a meeting to deliberate the future of the sport but he completely ignored us,” he told the Graphic Sports in an interview in Accra last Thursday.

A fortnight ago, the President released a new list of appointees for his second term and Mr Yussif, a former Executive Secretary of the National Service Secretariat, was named as the Sports Minister-designate.

Believer, who also manages boxers, claimed that the former minister only came to manage football and played no part in the affairs of developing boxing.
“As for Asiamah, the least said about him the better. He came only for football, he was not interested in boxing and cared less about the sport,” he stated.

Coach Believer, as he is affectionately called, implored the incoming minister to take boxing seriously and meet stakeholders to draw a master plan for the development of the sport.

“I will congratulate the new minister and wishes to inform him that when he is vetted, approved and sworn into office, he must meet us. We the boxing coaches will again write to him for a meeting; he should take boxing seriously because the sport is dying,” he stated.

According to him, the COVID-19 has gravely affected the sport and many boxers, as well as young talents have lost interest in the discipline. He urged the incoming minister to bring life back into the sport.

“When boxing is developed and better investments are made properly, it creates jobs for the youth and government also rakes in the needed revenue. Boxing is the face of Ghana Sports,” he stressed.